John c



(No Model.)

J. G. DODGE.

CAN OPENER. No. 324,012. Patented Aug. 11, 1885.

N: PETERS, Photo-Lithographer. Wnhinglnn. n. c.

NITED STATES ATENT rFrcE.

CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 324,012, dated August 11, 1885.

Application filed August 5, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN G. DODGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Can-Openers, of which the f0llowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to can-openers; and it has for its object to provide a device of this character whereby ordinary sheet-metal cans or boxes are capable of being cut open in the most expeditious and convenient manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of knife which will make a clean cut around the can, the walls of the slot or slitbeing turned downward, so that the can will not be defaced, and may be used for kitchen and other purposes, as may be found desirable.

\Vit-h these and other objects in view the said invention consists in certain details of construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved canopener in position for use. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. I Fig. 3 is adetail perspective view of the cutter-wheel and pointed knife, looking at one side. Fig. 4 is a similar view looking at the opposite side. Fig. 5 is a side view of the cutter enlarged, showing it applied to a portion of the can.

Like letters refer to corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a longitudinally-slotted shank or bar having its ends turned down, as at B O, a handle, D, being formed with or attached to the end B, and a forwardly-proj ecting pointed barb or tongue, E, extending from the end 0, and adapted to serve as the pivot or fulcrum of the implement.

In practice I prefer to construct the bar, handle, and barb or tongue from one piece of metal, since the cost will be reduced considerably thereby; but it will be apparent that the barb or tongue may be threaded to screw into the end 0, or the handle may be of wood and attached to the bar in any suitable manner.

Within the slot F of the bar A works the shank G of the knife K,the end of said shank which projects above the bar being threaded at H, to be received by the internally-threaded opening I of the clamping collar or nut J, the latter being arranged to bear against the upper face of the bar A, and having its upper end provided with a square head, L, the sides of which are concaved to receive the fingers in adjusting the knife or cutter.

The body of the knife on each side of the shank bears against the under side of the bar A, so as to be held in an uprightposition, said knife having vertical sides M M, tapered or beveled off to a diamondshaped point, N, a slot, 0, being cut through the knife above this point, and extending from the side M nearly to the other side, M. The walls a b of this slot 0 terminate at the inner end in an enlarged recess, d, (see Fig. 4,) the upper wall, a, being straight, and the lower wall, I), having an upwardly-extending projection or point, e, and tapering downward and outward from this projection to provide an enlarged mouth for the slot. To one side of the knife is journaled a cutter-wheel, P, having its outer periphery beveled to provide a cutting-edge, the wheel extending downward, so as to partially cover the slot 0, and working flat against the projection or point e of the lower wall, I), of the slot.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description,

taken in connection with the annexed drawings.

sorting the barb or tongue E through the can near the center of the head or top, then adj usting the knife to suit the size of cut to be made, and finally pressing the point of the knife through the can close to therim until the on tterwheel comes in contact with the can. Then by drawing the implement around by the handle, the barb or tongue E acting as the fulcrum, the cutter-wheel is caused to revolve and cut a concentric slot or slit in the can-top close to the rim thereof. It will be seen that the flaring-mouthed slot 0 enables the portion of the can not cut by the cutter-wheel to be received The implement isadjusted to the can by inbetween the projection or point e in the bottom wall,b, of the slot and the said wheel. As seen, the bottom wall, I), presses the can'top which is being acted upon against the cutterwhcel, and as the latter revolves its sharp cuttingedge makes the slit or slot, as aforesaid. The recess (1 allows the free passage of the knife through the slit as it is cut in the can-top, so that there will be no hitching in the operation. The diamond-shaped point at the lower end of thcknifereadilypenetrates the can-top until the slot 0 fits around the upper and under faces of said top, the enlarged mouth of said slot permitting the free passage of the knife in operation, and allowing the cutter-wheel to act on the top. The clamping nut having the square head formed therewith and binding against the upper face of the bar A serves to adjust the knife to out different sizes of slots, according to the size of the can, the concaved walls of the head being of special Convenience in operating the nut.

The implement is simple in construction and efficient in use, and will cut a clean eoncentrie slot or slit around the can-top as close to the rim thereof as desired, the edges or walls of the slot being turned downward, so as not to deface the can, which may be used for cooking and other purposes,as found desirable.

It will he apparent that various modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. In place of only one cutter-wheel I may employ two,as found desirable, or may leave them off altogether, since the peculiar construction of the slot, the walls of which are sharpened, will serve to cut the can-top without the use of the cutter-wheel.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a can-opener, the combination, with the shank or bar constructed substantially as described, of a knife adjustablelongitudinally on said bar, and a transverse slot cut through one side of the knife nearly to the opposite side,

the bottom wall of the slot having an upwardlyextending projection or point to act against the under face of the cantop, as set forth.

2. In a can-opener, the combination,with the shank or bar, of the adjustable knife adapted to penetrate the can-top, a blade provided on the knife to act against the under side of the can-top, and a cutter-wheel working above this blade against the upper face of the top, arranged and operating substantially as described, so that the blade will turn one wall of the slit upward and the cutter-wheel turn the other wall downward, and thus leave a clean cut, as set forth.

3. In a can-opener, the combination, with a bar having a fulcrum tongue at one end and a handle at the other end, of a knife adjustable longitudinally on said bar and having its end pointed to penetrate the can-top, a slot cut through the knife above the pointed end, and a cutter-wheel journaled to the knife above the slot and working against the can-top, as set forth.

4.. In a can-opener, the combination,with a bar having a fulcrum-tongue at one end and a handle at the other, of a knife longitudinally adjustable on said bar and having its end pointed to penetrate the cantop, a slot cut through the knife above the pointed end from one side of the knife nearly to the other, the lower wall of said slot having an upwardlyextending point or projection, and tapering downward from said projection to provide an enlarged mouth for the slot, and a cutterwheel journaled to the side of the knife and working against the projection,for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. DODGE.

Vitn esses:

EDVVABD 13. Ports, GEO. W. HYA'rr. 

